How to make: Placenta smoothies

In the animal kingdom it is common for mammals to consume their placentas after birth. Placentas are incredibly powerful and are instrumental in healing a post birth body. Some of the reported benefits include:

• Significantly reduced blood loss
• Helping to beat the 'baby blues' when the milk comes in
• Helps the body heal internal wounds
• Increases milk production, with milk 'coming in' a day or two earlier
• The hormones help boost mood and energy

To get the most benefit the placenta is consumed raw (not as yucky as it sounds I promise!) and as soon as after birth as is possible.

We decided to have a course of placenta smoothies (as well as other goodies) to help my body heal quicker after the birth. After cleaning, removing blood clots and membrane we cut and set aside 5 thumb size pieces of placenta and kept them in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Chopped and ready placenta looking a bit like raspberry coulis 

All smoothies (and the placenta) were prepared by my very lovely and helpful husband M (Thank you!!). These are the recipes for the smoothies but are not precise, add more of less of things to taste.

Day 1

Berry Smoothie

1 teaspoon raw honey
3 tablespoons of organic live yogurt
200 ml coconut water
A pinch of true cinnamon (not cassia)
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 Banana
A handful of frozen blueberries
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 2

Cacao, Banana and Peanut Butter

1 teaspoon raw cacao powder
3 tablespoons of organic live yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar free peanut butter
1 banana
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
200 ml coconut water
A pinch of true cinnamon
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 3

Green smoothie

A couple of handfuls of kale
A couple of sprigs of mint
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 tablespoon organic live yogurt
200 ml coconut water
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 banana
A handful of frozen blueberries
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 4 

Raspberry Ripple Smoothie

A larger handful of frozen raspberries
1/2 teaspoon good quality vanilla essence
4 tablespoons organic live yogurt
1 banana
200ml coconut water
1 teaspoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 thumb size piece of placenta

Day 5

Cacao, Banana and Peanut butter

(Again because it was so delicious!)

See Day 2

Results

Firstly, you cannot taste the placenta! They simply taste like very yummy smoothies yet make an incredible difference to the way I have felt after Arlo's birth. I have felt massively less emotional and stressed; I have been feeling much more able to take things in my stride and as of yet have not weeped since the birth! I have a lot more energy (although still feeling rather sleep deprived) and able to concentrate. The post-partum bleeding has been noticeably less compared to Bean's birth. My milk came in properly on day two without any real emotional excess, just a few instances of me being a wee bit tetchy. As is common with number 2, the after pains have been pretty intense but my body has changed insanely in just a few days, my bump's almost completely gone and my body is beginning to feel strong again.

The number of positive benefits have far outlived my expectations and would do it again in a heartbeat, should we ever decide to do it again.

Did you do anything with your placenta? Have you tried placenta smoothies? What was your experience?

x